A 3D CG remake/renewal of the sublime original film adaptation of Ghost in the Shell, dubbed “Ghost in the Shell Koukakukidoutai 2.0”, is set to begin limited screenings in five major Japanese cities starting August 2nd; the release is intended to bolster the release of “The Sky Crawlers”.

The participation of the original cast is confirmed, and the sound will be remastered into 6.1. The extent of the changes/enhancements is not really clear, but it looks from the statements and brief trailer that this will only be a partial integration of computer generated 3D animation, along with a remaster and enhancement of the original animation. See a brief trailer at source. No word yet on how long this will take to reach DVD.

Given how well Shirow’s works are suited to CG adaptation (see Appleseed), this could be a very interesting film indeed, if handled properly.